Dispensing



Jan. 30, 1940. s. LoNGo 2,188,573

DISPENSING Filed April 9, v1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 30, 1940.

s. LoNGo 2,188,573

DISPENSIIG Filed April 9, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y ya .7" 7759 jf' 42 lai INVENTOR 3 fYaZmZarelajgga,

my ATTQRNEY` Jan. 3o, 1940. s.' LQNGG 2,188,573

' D IsPEusING Filed April-9, 1938 4 Smets-sheet s 76 K l 47 l f 7.5'

INVENTOR ,YezZmZ'om 01490,

Jan. 30, E946. I s. LQNGO M8573 DISPENSING Filed April 9, 1958 4sheets-sheet 4 Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I7Salvatore Longo, New York, VN.' Y. Application April 9, 1938, Serial No.201,116

7 Claims.

This invention, in the aspect thereof related to one important eld ofutility pertains to special equipment for restaurants, buffets andpublic eating places especially of the cafeteria. or socalled automattype. In a broad and public benefit sense, the invention relates to theart of sanitation.

More specifically, the invention provides a novel dispensing apparatusfor supplying eating utensils, as knives, forks, spoons and the like, toone about to eat a meal in a place other than the home;. and (by theinvention these utensils are housed against handling by anyone and in anantiseptic atmosphere if desired until supplied to a particular person,and in such manner that one or -a customary set thereof can be`delivered to said-particular person and only to him, and this followingan operation of the means as by a man- 'ual actuator any contaminationof which resulting from its use cannot be transmitted to any housedutensil.) v

- The invention, in the nowfavored embodimentsv thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings (which embodiments, it is clearly to beunderstood, are shown merely by way of example and n'ot'by way oflimitation except as defined in the 'claims hereunto annexed), consistsof certain combinations of elements, arrangements of parts andrelationships of structure, and involves cer- `tain features andadvantages, all as will be made `clear from the following description ofsaid em bodn'nents which will now be given.

In'said drawings, wherein like characters of lreference designatecorresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 shows one such embodiment, in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, taken on the line 2-2fof Fig. 1. I

- Fig..3 is'a front view of one of the holders `for one type of utensil.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary verticalsection, taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 6.

-- Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, taken on the line -66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical, transverse section, taken on ythe line 1,-1 ofFig. 5.

, Fig. 8'is a fragmentary detail view, partially in perspective. v

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view, showing the -lower partk of theholder of Fig. 3 as seen in that View, but on a larger scale, andshowing a plurality ofknives K therein.

Fig. 10 is -a View similar to Fig. 9,' but showing associated vparts ofthe vdispensing mechanism. Fig. 1-1 is an enlarged detail View, being inpart a section taken on the line l l'-II of Figli). 'Fig. 12 is ahorizontal section, taken through' '5 4'Figi 9, and showing differentsuccessively assumed positions of a knife K duringmovement fromitsholder when a knife is being dispensed.

"Fig, 13 isfa horizontalsection, t aken"'on'the line IS--Iof Fig. 2. l'*I0 Fig. 14 isa detail View lv of said embodiment.

' Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section showing another embodiment,this v'i' `w being taken on the line I5'-I5'of Fig. 16.. j f1'5 Fig. 16is a vertical section, in a plane'l parallel to the front of themachine, being a view taken on thevline I--l of Fig. 15.v

Fig. 17 is `a detail sectional view, 'taken substantiallyon the lineI'l-H of Fig. 15'. 20

In both the embodiments illustratively shown in'the drawings, it willybe noted, there ispro-v `vided a housing having compartments,s'ucheompartment's-marked K', T', F and S( in Figs. 1 and 5, wherein arestacked, respectively, knives, forks, teaspoons and tableor soup-spoons,so that the vsame can be dispensed, or delivered to a takeaway chamberaccessible to the person desiring to be utensil-served, one by one asto` each particular utensil, and as the result of moving the bot- 30 tomutensil in a stack out of that sack as is common in the art ofmerchandise-vending machines. The only utensils which said person cantouch are those delivered to'him for his own use. The compartments forthe utensil-stacks are all in a closed and locked chamber.

Since the'discoveries of Lister 'and others as to the dangers ofindiscriminate handling of things which may later enter the human mouthor which may later touch these'-thin gs, 1sanitationlaws have beenenacted-against, for instance, the use of public common drinking cups-(to the great benefit of the paper trade, in regard to the making ofindividual drinking cups); Careful diners ,l in even the finestrestaurants (that is, such of these -diners as are vnot too strict inobservance of the canons of what are called the customs of good taste)go through the ritual of' using'the restaurants napery to wipe orrubbriskly the showing ja. 'modmatidn business end of the pieces of silverlaid-on the I'50- table withthe jfood. Such wiping, even vsuchbrisk'rubbing, can not, of course, b e veryl effective for antisepsis.`IIowever, Vva "specially baneful practice in cafeterias-andautomatswasparticularly in mindl infmakin'g. the present invention. "55

In such establishments and ones similar, as is well-known, thesilverware is in baskets or opentop boxes or trays; and are fingered,probably in all parts, by many different persons while in the trays andbefore being taken away by the one ultimately to make use of them ineating, in a great number if not the majority of instances. Suchpractice is outstandingly incongruous in an automat, where the articlesof food to be vended are in closed and locked Vending-machinecompartments, to be sure that only the person who is to consume such anarticle can possibly handle it.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of the present inventionshown in exemplication thereof in Figs. 1 through 14, the numeral 20denotes the rear wall of a cabinet, and 2l, 22 and 23 the top and sidewalls thereof, respectively. The upper front portion of the cabinet isshown as closed by a pair of glass-paned doors 24, hinged at 25 at theirtops and at 26 at their bottoms to a horizontal ledge 21. This ledge isthe top mar- -gi-nal flange of la front plate including an inclined wall28 and a vertical wall 29, in which latter wall is an opening 38. At itsbottom the housing now being described is closed by a oor wall 3|,provided with an lopening 32. This opening is subtended by-a casing 33extended therebelow and .provided with a door 34, lockable `as at 34',in the front of the cabinet. The bottom of casing 33 is fastened to abracket 34", which is secured to a framing 35 attached to and carried byfront legs 36 and rear legs 31 of the cabinet. The space between thelegs 36 and 31 and the casing 33 may be utilized for the storage ofservice trays.

In Figs. 3 and 4, a holder is shown which may serve for the dispensingof knives, forks, teaspoons and table-spoons; comprising arear'wall 38,side walls 39 flanged to provide front strips 40 and 4|. These stripsnear the bottom of the holder are spanned by 'a cross-strip 42 whichcarries a stop 43. This stop permits delivery of only one article at atime, as is made -clear in AFigs. 5, '1, 9 and 10. The stop 43 is alsoadjustable to take up the diierences in thickness and shape of karticlesof different manufacture. A reinforcing member 44 surrounds the bottom`portions of the rear and side walls of the holder and is provided atthe rear of Athe holder with a ,pair of horizontal lugs 45 apertured at-46 (Figs.

journalled in suitable recesses in two bars '50, one

secured to each of the two side walls 22 and 23. @n thisfshaft 49are-placed ejecting units 5l., 52, .53 `and 54, which are held in placeon the shaft vby set-screws passing through slots 56 in hubs 51 ofcarriers 58 each for pivotally supporting, at 60, one of the severaldispensing fingers 59. These carriers 58 are xed on sleeves 6I,supported in bearing'blocks 62, mounted on a shelf 63 supported fromsaid blocks. Due to a bentwire spring for each -ejecting unit like theone shown at .59a in Fig. 7, the fingers 59 are all normally heldrelative to their carriers 58 as shown vin Fig. '1., but yieldingly so.-On the opposite end of sleeves 46l kare fixed rocker-arms 64, provided.ing ylugs 15 and 15, one at each end ofthe-otherwith pins 65. Levers66, which are spring operi ated and pivotally mounted on a bar 61, areconnected to push-rods or plungers 68 passing through inclined frontwall 28, provided with buttons or finger-pieces 69. These levers 66 ac-5 tuate the rocker-arms 64 by means of the pins 65, and are held innormal position against rubber-stops 10. At the side wall 23, the shaft49 is provided with a handle 1I.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, the four holders l0 K', T', F', and S',in construction each similar to that holder already described inconnection with Figs. 3 and 4, are shown as used respectively, fordispensing knives, teaspoons, forks Iand tablespoons. These holders areplaced in l5 the cabinet with the holes 46 of lugs 45 engaging andresting on studs 12 fixed to shelf 63. At their tops they are spaced bypins 13 and held securely by spring-operated latches 14.

When the holders are placed in the machine, the lowermost utensilstherein come to rest at their handle portions, as shownin Fig. 5, on thetops of the fbearing Iblocks 62; thus lifting as to each stack, theentire weight thereof offsupportwise open bottom of the holder, =forthefend portionsI of the utensils. Consequently, such handle portions aswell as the opposite ends of the utensils become entirely clearedrelative to lugs 15 and 16, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. 5 and 10; 510the `sole support for the stacks now being the bearing-blocks 62.

The holders K', T', F' and S' also have cut- `outs as at 11 (Figs. 45and 9), opposite the free ends of the handle portions of the utensils.3"

In operation, -the corresponding plunger 68 for the desired utensil isthrust in, by its finger-piece 69. This actuates the `appropriate lever166 and rocker arm 64, therebyy turning the intended sleeve 6| andmoving the associated finger for-'40 ward. This finger, engaging thehandle of the utensil, -will push such handle through -the cutout -11yand beyond the lug 16, (compare Figs. lv5 and A12), as the rst step inmoving the utensil toward discharge into a downwardly and forwardlysloping slide 18. As the other end'of the utensil is held back bythelnarrowedlower end of Vertical strip 46 at the right hand side of theholder, as seen in Fig. 9, va turning motion is imposed upon the`utensil toproject its handle endmh oversaid slide. As soon as, `duringthis turning movement, the .root end of the handle portionof thevutensil is lcleared Aaway vfrom the fblock 62 therebelow, the tip ofthe utensil over the lug -15 is freed from the holder and the yutensilslides :r6.1 down along the slide 18 onto a chute 19r sloping downwardand toward the bottom 4center Aof the cabinet; the successive .positionsof a knife K being indicated in Fig. 6 as I, II and III (compare Fig.12'). With knives and such utensils :"5" also as spoons and forks, the'result is that they are brought down Ato the ldelivery openingf30,turned through an Vangle of 90, as shown in Fig. 8.

For a -utensil such as -a knife, because fof its greater length, anadditional impulse `is de'sirably .imparted vto insure a fquicker'turning before it reaches the end of its travel. This is hereshown asaccomplished by a rubber-covered rod .7n (Fig. 6), which, when the bladeof `the knife strikes against'it, will tend to .give the blade anadditional-kickto actturningly on the knife. To augment this iactionteats 8| (Figs. 6 vand 7.) are provided on the chute 19, which will:retard the ist handle, and insure the knife coming down as indicated atIV in Fig.f6.

For utensils such as teaspoons, no slide 18 is required (and note thatnone is shown in Fig. 5). When utensil is delivered into the opening 30,it falls upon a paper napkin 82 interfolded in and at the top of asuitably upwardly fed stack `of such napkins in casing 34.

By thrusting in one or more of the plungers 68, one or more of thedifferent kinds of utensils may be dispensed. Such movement of a plunger68 (Figs. '7 and 11) rocks the associated finger in a clockwisedirection, foi applying its ejecting thrust against the lowermostutensil in the appropriate holder; such finger, however,.idly passingbelow the utensil stack, due to the spring 5M, on return movement of theplunger. v

When a complete set of four utensils is desired, this is done bypressing the handle 'II downward, thus rotating shaft 49. The set-screws55, acting against the ends of slots 56, will thus operate all fourfingers 59 simultaneously; and a Complete set of utensils will bedelivered. Springs 83 are fastened to hubs 5l and to shelf 63, to returnthe dispensing mechanism to normal position. A spring 8d acting on alever S5, which latter is mounted on shaft 4S, returns the shaft tonormal position.

On picking up the utensils dispensed by transfer to the receptor R (Fig.8) just beyond the opening 30, as a persons hand is placed in the`opening 30, his fingers will naturally go in between the folds of theuppermost napkin, thus automatically taking up a napkin when picking upthe utensil or utensils dispensed.

The napkins 82 are shown as supported and fed upward by a plate 3S,having two flanges 8l, supporting two shafts 38. On these shafts are Amounted gears 59, engaging perforations procient strength to move thestack of napkins inv an upward position. An additional leaf spring 92,acts to h-elp when the napkin casing is fully loaded. To facilitatefilling the casing with napkins, a spring-operated finger S3 engages ahole 94 in the casing and holds the plate 86 in down position until thedoor 35- is closed. This door carries a pin 95, which disengages thefinger 03.

Fig. 14 shows a modification in which a crossstrip 42a., correspondingto the cross-strip 42 of Fig. 9, is not mounted on the holder 38, but,instead, on an L-shaped bracket l2 on the main structure of the cabinet.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17, which is inexempliflcation of a form of apparatus according to the invention inwhich a plurality of holders for each of a plurality of differentutensils are provided, in order to give a machine of large capacity butrelatively small bulk, two of such holders for each kind of utensil areshown. It will be understood, however, that any number may be employed.For maximum space saving, each group of holders for stacking the sametype of utensil are arranged tandem fashion crosswise of the machine.The holders for carrying the knives, the teaspoons, the forks and thetable-spoons are marked, respectively, K2 and K3, T2 and T3, F2 and F3,and S2 and S3.

Cross-bars 00, supported on blocks as shown in Fig. 15 at the front andback of the cabinet, carry posts lili topped by locating pins |02 forapertures in lugs |03 of the holders corresponding to the lugs d5; andfor lifting the weights of the stacks of utensils in the holders fromtheir of utensil. Y

bottom lugs corresponding to the'lugs 15 andIS of Fig. 3, standards |04,similarto the bearing blocks 62previously described, are also mounted onthe cross-bars |00. Each unit of the ejecting mechanism includes a pairof shafts |05 and |06, 35 journalled in standards |04 and posts IOI;these shafts being operatively interconnected by gears |01. On the endsof said shafts opposite to said gears are secured finger-carrying disks|08 and |09 the fingers of which are offset 45 in relationfll one toanother. All the shafts I05-eXtend toward the front of the machine onlyas 'far as the gear-couples |51, while all the shafts |06 extend to thefront of the machine, a bar |08 providing a bearing for the shafts lastmentioned. :215 Actuating finger pieces |06 arel loosely mounted on theshafts |05, and are provided with pawls III) engaging ratchets III faston said shafts. A slide-.bar II2 guided in annular recesses lI I3 on theshafts, carries four pawls I I4 identical withi'20 each other, and withthe pawls shown in Fig.. 16, squarely. beyond the lpawls H0..

In operation, the finger-piece |06 appropriate to the article desiredvto be dispensed is moved from right to left through 45 andby meansofi`f25 the associated pawls IIO and ratchet III the adjacent shaft |06is rotated through 45, which in turn, through gear-couples l'lfrotatesthe associated shaft |05 in the opposite direction.

As illustrated in Fig. 17, if a finger H5 of theio disk 08 is inposition to dispense an article from a holder K2, T2, F2 or S2, as thecase may be, upon operation of the nger piece 06' last `referred to, afinger |56 of the disk |59 will be,

as shown in broken lines, in roperating positioni-"S after the shaftshave been rotated 45 from the positions shown in Fig. 17; Thus. thearticles are alternatingly ejected from each group of holders assignedfor multiple stacking ofthe same type l. um

If a complete set of utensils is desired the bar II2 will, when thrustinward, accomplish this result, through the pawls I I4.

A spring II'I is shown for causing return of bar II2 to normal position.By varying the number of teeth of the ratchets II, and also the numberof fingers |I5 and IIS, any group of holders could comprise any numbervof holders for multiple stacking of any utensil of one particular kind.

Other variations and modifications are possible within the scope of theinvention, and parts of the improvements can be used without others.

I claim:

1. A machine of the kind described, comprising a holder for an articleto be dispensed, said holder including means for maintaining a pluralityof like articles in vertically stacked relation, said articles beingelongated and' of considerably different shapes at opposite ends andbeing individually horizontally arranged with each article in the stackdirectly vertically below another therein; a housing for the holder forprotecting the articles against contaminating contact, said housinghaving an opening; a re- 65 ceptor adjacent to said opening; meansmanually operable from the exterior of the housing for swinging an endarticle in the stack laterally of the stack thereby rst to freeone endof said article from the stack and then to free the remainder of saidarticle from the stack; and means for guiding the thus freed article tosaid receptor for manual removal therefrom by way of said opening.

2. A machine as in claim 1, in which said 75 freeing means includesmeans for applying a substantially horizontal thrust against said endarticle.

3. A machine as in claim 1, in which said holder includes a xed part forinteroepting one end of said end article, and in which said freeingmeans is a shiftable element for applying a thrust against said endarticle laterally of the stack by push thereagainst at a point alongsaid article intermediate its ends.

4. A machine as in claim 1, in which said holder includes a plurality ofspaced members adapted to engage said end article at a plurality vofspaced points along its length, and in which said freeing means includesmeans for applying a substantially horizontal thrust against said endarticle at a point therealong intermediate its points of engagement withsaid members.

5. A machine of the kind described, for dispensing different utensilssingly or in a set thereof, comprising means for maintaining saidarticles in a plurality of stacks, all articles being alike in any stackbut with diierent kinds of articles in different stacks; a shaftextending under all the different stacks; a dispensing instrumentalityindividual to each stack; a plurality of manually operable members eachpermanently operatively coupled to a different one of saidinstrumentalities whereby operation of any one of said members alwaysoperates a different one of said instrumentalities to dispense adifferent kind of article; a manually operable member permanentlyoperatively coupled to said shaft whereby operation of the last-namedmember always rotates said shaft; and means permanently operativelycoupling said shaft and all of said instrumentalities whereby rotationof said shaft always operates all of said instrumentalitiessimultaneously.

6. In apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a housing; adispensing mechanism therein including a removable holder for a stack ofarticles of like but irregular shape, and a manually operable ejector,said holder having an opening in its bottom and also having a memberpartially closing this opening such that before the holder is positionedin the housing the weight of the stack prevents extraction from thelatter of the lowermost article; and a positioning means for the holderin the housing, said positioning means including a device whichautomatically lifts the stack in the holder to position said lowermostarticle below said member thereby to permit extraction of said lowermostarticle on operation of said ejector, after positioning of the holder inthe housing by the aid of said positioning means.

7. In combination, a dispensing machine including a holder for articlesof tableware, said holder including a means for maintaining a pluralityof like such articles in stacked relation; manually operable means fordispensing an end article in said stack, said dispensing means includingmeans for removing said article from the holder by thrust sidewiselyagainst said article in a direction to swing one end thereof laterallyof the stack, said thrusting means adapted to engage said article at apoint nearer one end thereof than the other to insure that during saidthrust said article will swing as aforesaid incidental to beingdisplaced from the stack; an article receptor including means forsupporting an article thereon in position to facilitate manual removalof the article from the receptor; and means for directing an articledischarged from the stack to come to rest on the receptor in saidposition, and including a resiliently operating device in the path oftravel of the article on its way to said position on the receptor.

SALVATORE LONGO.

